Biweekly Long Runs and Tempo Runs

Depends on where you are in your training cycle. If you're fast twitch and within ~8 weeks of a peak, maybe?

I would guess most coaches would say to keep that training for later in the season, but maybe since you appear to be fast twitch you could benefit from some sort repeats (200s, etc.) earlier maybe every two weeks, along with the tempos. That said, I would recommend asking your coach since they have the overall plan.

LetsEatDoughnutsInstead wrote:

Depends on where you are in your training cycle. If you're fast twitch and within ~8 weeks of a peak, maybe?

I would guess most coaches would say to keep that training for later in the season, but maybe since you appear to be fast twitch you could benefit from some sort repeats (200s, etc.) earlier maybe every two weeks, along with the tempos. That said, I would recommend asking your coach since they have the overall plan.

Thats kind of what I was thinking, it probably would be the best to do in the last 8 weeks of the season when volume is being cut down significantly.

Recently, I have started to do 5×200M after threshold workouts to touch on race pace if that's the kind of thing you were talking about.

Unfortunately I'm pretty much self coached. My coach doesn't know anything about practical training theory. If you were to ask him what a tempo run is or long run is he wouldn't be able to answer you.

I think doing them biweekly is fine. VO2 max workouts are also not the be all end all of running though. I would say at this point in the season you should start putting more emphasis on 1600 specific workouts with a secondary emphasis on LT or CV training and speed work. I would say drop the long run before you drop the tempo. If you did all the aerobic work throughout the summer, fall and winter, you should be fine just maintaining that aerobic base, which can be done just by keeping your mileage up and continuing to do tempo work.

How often would you suggest doing VO2 max workouts then? If my peak race is at the end of May, shouldn't my primary focus be on long intervals at 3K to 5K intensity? I think it's important that I include mile specific workouts at that this point in the season but not as the primary emphasis because I don't want to peak in the next 6-8 weeks.

I would recommend doing one VO2 max workout or one tempo workout alternating from week to week. You also really should be making mile specific and speed workouts your focus, it takes 10-12 weeks to get the full benefit (which lines up well with the end of your season).

I thought the high intensity stuff needed to wait until about 6 weeks before your key race. What workouts are considered this? I would love your thoughts on progression of the mile pace workouts from 12 weeks before, up to the last few weeks.

It's a common misconception that you should wait on doing really fast stuff until 6 weeks before a major race. Building up neuromuscular connections, lactic buffering capability, and all that good stuff takes time, just the same as any other form of training. Personally, I try to hit those paces at least once every two weeks all year round, and I would recommend doing a 1500 (or faster) paced workout every week from January until the end of April. January and February it's not the main focus (the focus is 3k/5k/10k/tempo workouts) but it's always present, and in March and April those fast workouts are the main focus of my training. I then reduce workload throughout May and June and focus on the races, while my workouts are more about race preparation (change of pace workouts, starting or ending at a faster pace to simulate a fast start or finish, etc.) and less about getting hard work in.

Thanks. This makes sense. Now, the hard part is to implement it the correct way. I have trouble figuring out the balance of enough pace and threshold work, but also keeping the kids from being overly tired for their weekly races.

Yeah high schoolers race a lot which makes it tough...honestly, if I were to coach a high school team, I would scrap the long run, have them run a fast workout on Monday, an easy (not recovery) run on Tuesday, a 3k/5k/threshold workout on Wednesday, another easy (not recovery) run Thursday, a pre-meet Friday that involves plenty of variations of strides (jog the bend/stride the straight, accelerations, fly-ins, and maybe a 200-400 interval at mile race pace), race Saturday, and off Sunday. Their aerobic system will get enough development from the Wednesday workout and easy mileage, and between the race and Monday workout their anaerobic system will also receive the attention it needs. The pre-meet day, as well as drills and strides before workouts, will allow you to work on mechanics and top-end speed.

Lydiard used to have a race week/non rave week schedule for guys who race a lot.

I think if you’re racing focus on racing and the paces and tactics associated with the season. The time to focus on “tempos” or whatever you want to call them and long is not in the middle of a track season.

Alan